Research and Writing Legal Citations in England/Wales and the United States

English Court System

Typical England/Wales Citation

Reported Cases The Law Reports – considered most authoritative series of reports. Contains decisions from HL, Appeals Court and High Court. Not all decisions are published. The Weekly Law Reports Considered second in the hierarchy of authoritative reports. Contains same cases, plus more, as those published in Law Reports. The All England Law Reports – commercially produced volume of cases.

The Law Reports – considered most authoritative series of reports.

Contains decisions from HL, Appeals Court and High Court.

Not all decisions are published.

The Weekly Law Reports

Considered second in the hierarchy of authoritative reports.

Contains same cases, plus more, as those published in Law Reports.

The All England Law Reports – commercially produced volume of cases.

Typical Citations The Law Reports Weston v. Remington, 1986 A.C. 135 Appeals Case Harbottle v. Terry, 1882 Q.B.D. 131 Queens Bench – today just use QB Chancery - Ch Family – Fam The Weekly Law Reports Smith v. Jones, [2004] 3 WLR 976 The All England Law Reports Smith v. Jones, [2005] 1 All ER 237

The Law Reports

Weston v. Remington, 1986 A.C. 135

Appeals Case

Harbottle v. Terry, 1882 Q.B.D. 131

Queens Bench – today just use QB

Chancery - Ch

Family – Fam

The Weekly Law Reports

Smith v. Jones, [2004] 3 WLR 976

The All England Law Reports

Smith v. Jones, [2005] 1 All ER 237

Other Reports A. & E. Admiralty and Ecclesiastical (L.R.) 1865 - A.C. Appeal Cases (L.R.) 1890 - All E.R. All England Law Reports 1936 - B.C.L.C. Butterworths Company Law Cases 1983 - B.H.R.C. Butterworths Human Rights Cases 1996 - C.C.R. Criminal Cases Reserved (L.R.) 1865 - 1875 Ch. Chancery (L.R.) 1891 - Ch. App. Chancery Appeal (L.R.) 1865 - 1874 Ch. D. Chancery Division (L.R.) 1875 - 1890 Con. L.R. Construction Law Reports 1985 - C.P. Common Pleas (L.R.) 1865 - 1876 Cr. App. Rep. Criminal Appeal Reports 1987 - E.C.H.R. European Court of Human Rights Cases 1960 - And so on . . . . .

Resources Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk NOTE – there is a “neutral” citation system that is also used in England that we did not cover here.

Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations

www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk

NOTE – there is a “neutral” citation system that is also used in England that we did not cover here.

Citations in a Text See Tutorial at Cardiff University

See

Tutorial at Cardiff University

The United States

Typical U.S. Citation Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) Name of the Parties Volume Report Name Page Number Year U.S. = United States Reports

Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)

U.S. Supreme Court Cases Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479, 85 S. Ct. 1678, 14 L. Ed. 2d 510 (1965). U.S. = U.S. Reports Official government reporter S.Ct. = Supreme Court Reporter West Publishing L.E.2d = United States Supreme Court Reports, Lawyers Edition Lexis/Nexis

Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479, 85 S. Ct. 1678, 14 L. Ed. 2d 510 (1965).

U.S. = U.S. Reports

Official government reporter

S.Ct. = Supreme Court Reporter

West Publishing

L.E.2d = United States Supreme Court Reports, Lawyers Edition

Lexis/Nexis

Federal Appeal Court Cases United States court of appeals cases are published in the Federal Reporter (F., F.2d, or F.3d). Published by West No “official” reporter Smith v. Jones, 3 F.3d 111 (3d Cir. 1993) Name of Parties Volume Reporter Name Page Court Year

United States court of appeals cases are published in the Federal Reporter (F., F.2d, or F.3d).

Published by West

No “official” reporter

Smith v. Jones, 3 F.3d 111 (3d Cir. 1993)

Federal Court of Appeals

Federal District Court Cases United States district court cases and cases from some specialized courts are published in the Federal Supplement (F. Supp. or F. Supp. 2d). Smith v. Jones, 25 F. Supp. 2d, 444 (M.D. Ala. 2002) Parties volume reporter page court year

United States district court cases and cases from some specialized courts are published in the Federal Supplement (F. Supp. or F. Supp. 2d).

Smith v. Jones, 25 F. Supp. 2d, 444 (M.D. Ala. 2002)

State Decisions Published in several places Many states have their own “official” reporters. West publishes “unofficial” reporters that are grouped by region: North Eastern Reporter, Atlantic Reporter, South Eastern Reporter, Southern Reporter, South Western Reporter, North Western Reporter, Pacific Reporter NOTE – NY, Cal, and Ill also have West reporter.

Published in several places

Many states have their own “official” reporters.

West publishes “unofficial” reporters that are grouped by region:

North Eastern Reporter,

Atlantic Reporter,

South Eastern Reporter,

Southern Reporter,

South Western Reporter,

North Western Reporter,

Pacific Reporter

NOTE – NY, Cal, and Ill also have West reporter.

Regional Reporter System

State v. Regional Reporter City of Troy v Ohlinger, 438 Mich 477 (1991) People v Ferency, 133 Mich App 526 (1984) or People v Ferency, 351 NW2d 225 (Mich. 1984). Parties Volume Reporter Page Year Court

City of Troy v Ohlinger, 438 Mich 477 (1991)

People v Ferency, 133 Mich App 526 (1984)

or

People v Ferency, 351 NW2d 225 (Mich. 1984).

The Full Citation People v Ferency, 133 Mich App 526; 351 NW2d 225 (1984). NOTE: the state reporters can easily be identified because they use an abbreviation related to the state itself: N.Y., Mich, Calif, Ill Many state court rules require both the official and “unofficial” citations for cases.

People v Ferency, 133 Mich App 526; 351 NW2d 225 (1984).

NOTE:

the state reporters can easily be identified because they use an abbreviation related to the state itself:

N.Y., Mich, Calif, Ill

Many state court rules require both the official and “unofficial” citations for cases.

Examples Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R. Co., 248 N.Y. 339 (1928) Glassroth v. Moore, 229 F. Supp. 2d 1290 (M.D. Ala. 2002) Geary v. Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish Sch., 7 F.3d 324 (3d Cir. 1993) Jackson v. Commonwealth, 583 S.E.2d 780 (Va. Ct. App. 2003) State or Federal court? Specifically, what court?

Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R. Co., 248 N.Y. 339 (1928)

Glassroth v. Moore, 229 F. Supp. 2d 1290 (M.D. Ala. 2002)

Geary v. Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish Sch., 7 F.3d 324 (3d Cir. 1993)

Jackson v. Commonwealth, 583 S.E.2d 780 (Va. Ct. App. 2003)

State or Federal court?

Specifically, what court?

Pinpoint Citations Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113, 158 (1973). What is this number?

Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113, 158 (1973).